PISA Science Scores by Country
What Is PISA Science Scores?
PISA Science Scores measure average performance in science literacy for 15-year-old students in the Programme for International Student Assessment, conducted every three years by the OECD. The test evaluates students’ ability to apply scientific concepts and reasoning to real-world scenarios. This score provides an international benchmark of science understanding and critical thinking across education systems.
Why PISA Science Scores Matters to a Country’s Progress
- Indicates scientific literacy, as strong scores reflect students’ ability to interpret data and understand scientific phenomena.
- Predicts workforce readiness, since science skills support careers in healthcare, research, and emerging technologies.
- Informs education policy, because governments use PISA science data to identify gaps in curricula and resource allocation.
Implications for Policy & Society
- Low science scores often prompt investment in teacher training, laboratory facilities, and hands-on science programs.
- High scores can attract interest from international researchers and support cross-border education partnerships.
- Persistent gaps between regions or socioeconomic groups highlight the need for equitable resource distribution and early STEM interventions.
- Tracking year-over-year changes helps evaluate the impact of initiatives like inquiry-based learning and digital science tools.
How to Read the Rankings
- A higher PISA Science Score indicates stronger average science literacy among 15-year-olds in that country.
- “Most Recent Year” shows the latest average score; “Change” reflects the difference from the prior cycle’s results.
- Score shifts may result from cohort differences, curriculum reforms, or changes in test participation rather than long-term trends.
Ranking Highlights
- Kazakhstan tops the progress rankings in PISA Scores (Science), recording an increase from 397 to 423. Dominican Republic follows with a gain from 336 to 360, while Panama rounds out the top three, rising from 365 to 388.
- Across all 70 countries, the average year-over-year change was -4 percentage points with a median change of -2 percentage points.
- Overall, 30 countries improved in this area while 39 worsened. Click on a country to open the full country scorecard and see how it performs across a range of key indicators.
Rank | Country | Most Recent Year | Previous Year | Change |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | ![]() | 423 (2022) | 397 (2018) | +26.00 pp |
2 | ![]() | 360 (2022) | 336 (2018) | +24.00 pp |
3 | ![]() | 388 (2022) | 365 (2018) | +23.00 pp |
4 | ![]() | 547 (2022) | 529 (2018) | +18.00 pp |
5 | ![]() | 446 (2022) | 431 (2018) | +15.00 pp |
6 | ![]() | 432 (2022) | 419 (2018) | +13.00 pp |
7 | ![]() | 483 (2022) | 472 (2018) | +11.00 pp |
8 | ![]() | 561 (2022) | 551 (2018) | +10.00 pp |
9 | ![]() | 477 (2022) | 468 (2018) | +9.00 pp |
10 | ![]() | 528 (2022) | 519 (2018) | +9.00 pp |
11 | ![]() | 466 (2022) | 457 (2018) | +9.00 pp |
12 | ![]() | 435 (2022) | 426 (2018) | +9.00 pp |
13 | ![]() | 503 (2022) | 495 (2018) | +8.00 pp |
14 | ![]() | 504 (2022) | 496 (2018) | +8.00 pp |
15 | ![]() | 476 (2022) | 468 (2018) | +8.00 pp |
16 | ![]() | 494 (2022) | 487 (2018) | +7.00 pp |
17 | ![]() | 447 (2022) | 440 (2018) | +7.00 pp |
18 | ![]() | 486 (2022) | 481 (2018) | +5.00 pp |
19 | ![]() | 507 (2022) | 503 (2018) | +4.00 pp |
20 | ![]() | 408 (2022) | 404 (2018) | +4.00 pp |
21 | ![]() | 390 (2022) | 386 (2018) | +4.00 pp |
22 | ![]() | 465 (2022) | 462 (2018) | +3.00 pp |
23 | ![]() | 406 (2022) | 404 (2018) | +2.00 pp |
24 | ![]() | 485 (2022) | 483 (2018) | +2.00 pp |
25 | ![]() | 484 (2022) | 482 (2018) | +2.00 pp |
26 | ![]() | 428 (2022) | 426 (2018) | +2.00 pp |
27 | ![]() | 491 (2022) | 490 (2018) | +1.00 pp |
28 | ![]() | 498 (2022) | 497 (2018) | +1.00 pp |
29 | ![]() | 494 (2022) | 493 (2018) | +1.00 pp |
30 | ![]() | 384 (2022) | 383 (2018) | +1.00 pp |
31 | ![]() | 444 (2022) | 444 (2018) | +0.00 pp |
32 | ![]() | 403 (2022) | 404 (2018) | -1.00 pp |
33 | ![]() | 356 (2022) | 357 (2018) | -1.00 pp |
34 | ![]() | 432 (2022) | 434 (2018) | -2.00 pp |
35 | ![]() | 411 (2022) | 413 (2018) | -2.00 pp |
36 | ![]() | 462 (2022) | 464 (2018) | -2.00 pp |
37 | ![]() | 421 (2022) | 424 (2018) | -3.00 pp |
38 | ![]() | 515 (2022) | 518 (2018) | -3.00 pp |
39 | ![]() | 499 (2022) | 502 (2018) | -3.00 pp |
40 | ![]() | 526 (2022) | 530 (2018) | -4.00 pp |
41 | ![]() | 504 (2022) | 508 (2018) | -4.00 pp |
42 | ![]() | 411 (2022) | 416 (2018) | -5.00 pp |
43 | ![]() | 500 (2022) | 505 (2018) | -5.00 pp |
44 | ![]() | 494 (2022) | 499 (2018) | -5.00 pp |
45 | ![]() | 487 (2022) | 493 (2018) | -6.00 pp |
46 | ![]() | 477 (2018) | 483 (2015) | -6.00 pp |
47 | ![]() | 500 (2022) | 507 (2018) | -7.00 pp |
48 | ![]() | 491 (2022) | 499 (2018) | -8.00 pp |
49 | ![]() | 484 (2022) | 492 (2018) | -8.00 pp |
50 | ![]() | 410 (2022) | 419 (2018) | -9.00 pp |
51 | ![]() | 478 (2018) | 487 (2015) | -9.00 pp |
52 | ![]() | 492 (2022) | 503 (2018) | -11.00 pp |
53 | ![]() | 511 (2022) | 522 (2018) | -11.00 pp |
54 | ![]() | 441 (2022) | 452 (2018) | -11.00 pp |
55 | ![]() | 417 (2022) | 428 (2018) | -11.00 pp |
56 | ![]() | 365 (2022) | 377 (2018) | -12.00 pp |
57 | ![]() | 403 (2022) | 415 (2018) | -12.00 pp |
58 | ![]() | 478 (2022) | 490 (2018) | -12.00 pp |
59 | ![]() | 499 (2022) | 511 (2018) | -12.00 pp |
60 | ![]() | 386 (2015) | 398 (2012) | -12.00 pp |
61 | ![]() | 383 (2022) | 396 (2018) | -13.00 pp |
62 | ![]() | 488 (2022) | 503 (2018) | -15.00 pp |
63 | ![]() | 409 (2022) | 426 (2018) | -17.00 pp |
64 | ![]() | 416 (2022) | 438 (2018) | -22.00 pp |
65 | ![]() | 411 (2022) | 439 (2018) | -28.00 pp |
66 | ![]() | 447 (2022) | 475 (2018) | -28.00 pp |
67 | ![]() | 380 (2022) | 413 (2018) | -33.00 pp |
68 | ![]() | 376 (2022) | 417 (2018) | -41.00 pp |
69 | ![]() | 472 (2022) | 525 (2015) | -53.00 pp |
70 | ![]() | 375 (2022) | 429 (2018) | -54.00 pp |
Source: OECD. Only countries with complete data (both points within the past 10 years) are shown.